How She Knew
by matsujen
Summary: NejiXTenten. I’m Tenten. I’m the only living nonHyuuga who knows that noble clan’s biggest secret. And I’m going to tell you how it happened!


How She Knew

NejiXTenten. I'm Tenten. I'm the only living non-Hyuuga who knows that noble clan's biggest secret. And I'm going to tell you how it happened!

_The italicized part is a flashback._

No money from this one either!

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It seems that I arrived first. Well, it's roughly 30minutes before our scheduled training so I guess he really shouldn't be here yet. Even I shouldn't be here yet. Now don't give me that look! You're probably thinking that I'm excited to see him. Well…

Let's change the topic.

Let me see… um… oh, looking at these craters created by his Kaiten reminds me of a funny story. It's not really a funny story about the Kaiten but it's somewhat related. How? Well, he uses the Kaiten to parry attacks coming from all directions, more importantly, attacks coming from his blind spot. And that's where the funny story comes in- the Byakugan's blind spot.

We have less than 30minutes to chatter about this so I'm going to make this real quick. Or we'll have to face the wrath of a certain Hyuuga Neji. So shall we begin? It happened one sunny day before the Chuunin exams. Now that I think about it, it's possible that I learned of his blind spot even before he did. Anyway, we're supposed to do our regular training session, just like today.

---------

_I sulked as I sat under a tree, waiting for him. I told myself I'm not going to show up today but still, here I am. I thought of making him suffer for not showing up yesterday. Heck, I waited for hours at that damn place! But how am I going to make him suffer? Even Lee can't touch him. Since the only thing I have more than him is words, I'm going to give him the telling off of his lifetime._

_"Here."_

_I caught the huge red fruit, thank goodness, or it could have left me with a bump on my head. That gesture and that voice annoyed me even more. It's probably one of my worst days._

_"What is your problem?"_

_"I thought you wanted an apple."_

_"If you want to give me something then why don't you give it nicely?"_

_"You're not that type of girl."_

_"So what type of girl am I? The type who waits for someone who never shows up, maybe?"_

_"I was busy." He said as he sat opposite me._

_"Neji, it won't take the whole day to drop by and tell me you're busy!"_

_"It won't take the whole day for you to realize that I'm not a latecomer."_

_I've always known he thinks so highly of himself. But this one is definitely his fault. He's trying to make it seem like he didn't do anything wrong and that I'm the one to blame. I've never missed a single training session with him since that day that he asked me. And I recall that's the only time that he really exerted an effort to be at least likeable._

_"Aren't we going to start yet?" He asked._

_That's all he cares about, after all. After everything I have to go through to match- to no avail, his ability just so I can spar with him properly, I thought I deserve something more than a freaking apple. He couldn't even spare me a decent 'thank you'._

_"I'm going back." I said as I stood up._

_"You're not training today?"_

_"I'm not training anymore. Not with you."_

_"…"_

_"That's all that matters to you, right? Training, becoming stronger, completing missions, being promoted… well, I'm more than that." I started my premeditated lecture._

_He remained sitting, looking at me. I turned around and started to walk away. I didn't hear anything from him. It's either he felt guilty for what he did or he's in the process of choosing which method is best to finish me._

_"And oh, I forgot another thing that matters to you…" I said as I went back to him._

_"…sulking over the fates of the Souke and the Bunke."_

_Kami-sama, I really said it, I thought. Did I go too far? But I really wanted him to try the vanilla ice cream from that place. He slowly stood up. I can almost hear the suspense background music along with the throbbing of my heart._

_"If you don't want to train then go."_

_That's his absolute defense- the emotionless, marble-cold statuesque Neji that he always resorts to whenever he feels like someone's getting close to breaking down his tall walls._

_"Your technique isn't impressive to begin with." He added._

_"But you need it."_

_"Don't get the wrong impression. I can definitely find another way. It's not special at all."_

_I've never been this driven to the edge before. He walked past me, eyes closed, arms crossed, stopping in the middle of the clearing as he took that Jyuuken stance._

_"You're still here?"_

_"No one's stopping you." He continued._

_I nearly smashed the apple that only then I realized I was still holding. And out of a combination of reflex and extreme anger, I threw it at him from behind. I tried to snatch the apple back as soon as it left my hand but that's impossible. My fate has been decided. He'll catch it and throw it right back at me with twice the speed and force and I'm going to end up in a coma. I was in panic. I need to think of a good strategy to apologize and ease his anger but before that, I need to look for a place to hide. Hide? Against a Byakugan user? I shut my eyes tightly as the apple hit him at the back of his head._

_The apple hit him at the back of his head._

_The_

_Apple_

_Hit_

_Him_

_At_

_The_

_Back_

_Of_

_His_

_Head._

_THE APPLE HIT HIM AT THE BACK OF HIS HEAD._

_Just what exactly happened? His field of vision is 360degrees and reaches up to 50meters. That's what it's supposed to be. But I'm well within 50meters. So what exactly happened?_

_"Neji…?" I said as I poked him on the shoulder._

_"You're naturally pale so don't play dead because it's frighteningly real."_

_He didn't move an inch. He remained flat on the ground, face first. He's unconscious, I figured. He wasn't able to avoid that apple and he took a direct hit- even though I'm within 50meters, even though I didn't use any jutsu or whatever. Which could only mean one thing…_

_"Hn." A sly smile came across my face._

---------

He woke up with his head bandaged and a slight amnesia. The first thing he said was 'what am I doing here?' so I uttered a silent prayer. I'm saved from explaining and apologies. I told him a crazy story of how he slipped from a banana peel and got that bump on his head. He didn't say or ask much, probably because he's still in pain. I thought he looks perfect lying down with his head on my lap- harmless and all.

I never told him of what I've found out. I wasn't able to confirm it either until he came back from that Sasuke retrieval mission. The wounds on his back were enough to prove my hypothesis. I know he's aware of it by now. What's his genius for anyway? But since that day, I made it a personal mission to watch his back.

And I don't like failing missions.

Oh, he's coming! I didn't think we're going to use up so much time. We'll start training as soon as he arrives. The story I told you is a secret so don't tell him, all right? Or you can tell him and have a taste of Tenten's lethal apple throw! Ja ne!

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Yurushite kudasai. I just finished a huge bar of dark chocolate.

Oishii desu.


End file.
